Safety and security

We're committed to ensuring MyType is a safe and secure online environment. The MyType Customer Care team regularly monitors the site to remove profiles if necessary in response to member complaints.

However, like dating in the real world, we ask that you exercise some caution. Common sense is your best safety tool.

Here are some simple things you can do to keep your MyType account safe and secure:

• Guard your anonymity. Never include your last name, real email address, personal website URL, home address, phone number, place of work or any other identifying information in your profile or initial emails you exchange with other MyType members. Take all the time you need to become comfortable with someone before revealing any personal contact information. Ask questions and make sure you are satisfied with the answers. Trust your instincts, move cautiously and be selective.
• Keep your personal details private. Don't give out your last name, phone numbers or address details to anyone over the Internet until you feel safe to do so. If you choose to share your personal email address with another member it is strongly recommended you create a new email address with Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail or another free email service provider just for this purpose and ensure you do not include your full name in the sender's name. Also, avoid using work emails as it's often easy to work out who sally.smith@abccompany.com.au is. If sharing a contact number, mobile numbers are best.
• Don't get financially involved. Play it safe when it comes to your money. Never send anyone money or offer financial assistance to someone you have just started contact with. If someone mentions financial difficulties and needing assistance then please contact us so we can investigate this on your behalf.

If you come across a member that you are just not sure about, then please contact us so we can investigate further.

You should always exercise some caution before you decide to meet someone in person. Here are a few safety guidelines to keep in mind:

• Meet when YOU are ready. The beauty of meeting and communicating online is that you can gradually collect information and then make a choice about pursuing the relationship in the real world. You are never obligated to meet anyone - regardless of your level of online intimacy. And even if you do decide to arrange a meeting you always have the right to change your mind. It's possible that your decision to keep the relationship at the anonymous level is based on a hunch that you can't logically explain. Trust yourself.
• Talk on the phone. There's no need to jump straight from online chats to a face-to-face meeting. Use the phone as an additional checkpoint. You can tell a lot about people by their mannerisms on the phone. Use a mobile phone number for added security.
• Choose a safe place. If you decide to meet face-to-face, be sure to pick a safe location, full of people and familiar to you. Most predators will avoid taking action in broad daylight when surrounded by people. Always arrange to meet in a busy public place - and arrive and leave on your own, using your own transport. Avoid hikes, bike rides or drives in remote areas for the first few dates. If you decide to move to another location then take your own car.
• Take a friend along. When looking to meet your date in the beginning, ask a friend to meet up with you at a pre-arranged time. Work out a signal with your friend to indicate whether you would prefer that he or she stay with you. If you're not with a friend, tell someone where you are going, who with (include the person's name, phone number and address) and when you'll be back. Most importantly, stick to it.
• Don't accept lifts. Initially, don't go home with your date, or invite them back to your home or accept a lift.
• Trust your instincts. There may be a good reason if you feel uneasy about someone. Don't tell yourself you're being silly. Diffuse the situation and get out of there. It's always better to be safe than sorry. Never worry or feel embarrassed about your behaviour. Your safety is much more important than one person's opinion of you.
• Don't get financially involved. Play it safe when it comes to your money. Never send anyone money or offer financial assistance to someone you have just started contact with. If someone mentions financial difficulties and needing assistance then please contact us so we can investigate this on your behalf.

If you come across a member that you are just not sure about, then please contact us so we can investigate further. We take all reports of abuse very seriously.

Scam emails falsely claiming to be from MyType may try and lead you to provide personal information so that fraudsters can commit identity theft and other crimes. Never click on a link in a suspicious email.

Here are some quick ways to recognise a scam email:

• MyType will never ask you to provide credit card numbers, passwords or other confidential information through email. Ensure you never send sensitive details by email.
• We will never ask you to enter information on a page that isn't part of the MyType website.
• Check if it was sent from a forged email address in the "from" field. MyType correspondence in relation to your account will always come from email addresses ending in '...@mtype.com.au'.
• Check if the branding (logo and template) looks awkward. Our emails will also use the MyType brand.
• MyType will never put email addresses or phone numbers of other members into any correspondence. We encourage members to communicate through the MyType website.

If you have received an email that you think might not be from MyType and looks suspicious, please notify our Customer Care team using the contact us form.

At MyType we take numerous steps to ensure your security and protect your personal information to prevent fraud.

Nevertheless you should always be aware of the potential for internet fraud or scams. Here are some ways you can protect yourself from a scam:

• Never give out your credit card details or other confidential information by email, even if the email looks like it was sent from MyType. It is likely to be a scam. We'll never ask you for sensitive information by email.
• Never agree to send any money to someone you have never met. If you start talking to someone who reveals they reside overseas (eg Nigeria, Russia, etc) and they ask you to help them with their travel expenses, it's probably a scam.
• Never agree to provide your mobile number right away, or call someone who provides you with a suspicious phone number (eg a premium 1900 number). You may get charged a large amount of money on your next phone bill.

If you think a MyType profile looks suspicious, please notify our Customer Care team using the contact us form.